Kids Halloween Book Review

I originally published this post last Halloween, but without the links to the free read alouds. So here is the re-released, updated version of last year’s Kids Halloween book review. If you cannot find these wonderful and unique titles at your local library, then please enjoy listening to the free read aloud versions on You Tube by clicking on the link included just below the book’s description.

In my recent post Embark On Some Bargain Boo’s (http://the-thrifty-mom.com/2022/10/06/embark-on-some-bargain-boos-2/) I mentioned some of our favorite kids Halloween themed books at our local library. Well, this post is a follow up to that one. My son and I just visited the library again the other day (mostly to visit the new hermit crab in the fish tank) and discovered some really cute and unique Halloween titles. Enjoy!

Snowmen at Halloween by: Caralyn Bueher really resonated with me. It was about a Halloween (not unlike the one we experienced two years ago) when it snowed. The children in the story build snow men (we built snow ghosts) and dressed them in their Halloween costumes. The book takes you on the rhyming journey of what a snow man would the do to celebrate Halloween like go trick or treating, carve pumpkins, run through a corn maze, or get gooey caramel apple faces. The illustrations blew me away- intricately detailed and warm, it was as though a Thomas Kinkade painting had come to life. And, as the cover implies, there are hidden pictures on every page.

https://youtu.be/xeavxj5fa9k (Snowmen read aloud)

Dino Zombies by: Rick Chrustowski was a big hit with my son. Not surprising, since it contains two of his favorite things- dinosaurs and gross zombies! Well-illustrated and cute, it does a great job of portraying zombies in a way that won’t scare very small kids. This story rhymes along with the zombi-saurses as they trick or treat their way to a Halloween party, eat too much candy, and win a costume contest!

https://youtu.be/FH0_kUtlqBs (Couldn’t find Dino Zombies, but enjoy Dino Halloween instead)

Samurai Scarecrow by: Rubin Pingk was my daughter’s cup of tea as she is suddenly fascinated with ninjas and samurai to the point that she has begged to take Karate lessons. The story follows a big brother ninja (Yukio) and his annoying aspiring to be a ninja little sister (Kashi) as they head to the Ninja trick or treating party. Along the way he shares a spooky rhyme about a Samurai Scarecrow which, of course, comes back to haunt him later after he has lost his temper with his little sister and she runs away in the middle of trick or treating. The illustration is very Japanese-animation meets a comic strip and is well done. The heartwarming surprise ending will make you smile!

https://youtu.be/2-nnmUl5hHQ (Samurai read aloud)

The Hallowiener by: Dav Pilker I must admit, I picked mostly for myself. Having had a wiener dog both as a kid and as an adult and dressing both those poor dogs up for Halloween in an oversized hot dog bun I could not help but love this book. It’s about Oscar, an outcast wiener dog. All the other dogs make fun of him because he is too short, but also too long and wearing an outrageous costume his mom made him. So as to not make it a ‘long’ story I’ll just say that in the end Oscar saves the day!

https://youtu.be/nKP3PiSilMo (Hallowiener read aloud)

Hope your story time is hauntingly fun!

Cheers!

Love,

Marie